Blizzard Conditions Likely To Snarl Missouri Roads

CAPE GIRARDEAU (AP) - Officials are discouraging travel in southeastern Missouri until crews clear the roads from what was expected to be heavy snowfall with blizzard conditions.

The National Weather Service placed 13 counties from the Bootheel to north of Cape Girardeau under a blizzard warning from Tuesday night to midday Wednesday. Total accumulations were expected to range from three inches in the Bootheel to 12 inches farther north.

The Missouri Department of Transportation issued a travel advisory late Tuesday afternoon urging motorists to stay off the roads. State maintenance engineer Beth Wright said whiteout conditions would make driving dangerous and complicate road-clearing efforts.

MoDOT recommends checking its online Traveler Information Map for current road conditions. The agency also says its free Traveler Information app for tablets and mobile devices has recently been upgraded.